Audio Mixers for Videomaking: Buyer's Guide

by Joe McCleskey
November 1995

You’ve heard it said over and over in the pages of this magazine: audio is at least half the battle when you’re trying to produce a quality video. Another oft-quoted Videomaker mantra: the first step toward good camcorder audio is to get yourself an external mike.

But where do you go from there? What’s the second most important piece of audio gear for video production? A good candidate for the position is the audio mixer.

An audio mixer, on its most basic level, is a device that allows you to mix a number of audio inputs into a single output. Suppose, for example, you’re taping an interview, and you’d like to mike both the interviewer and the interviewee. You’ve got two lav mikes, but only one mike input on your camcorder. The solution? Plug both into an audio mixer, and then run the mixer’s output to the camcorder.

But the usefulness of the audio mixer in video production doesn’t stop there. When it’s time to edit, an audio mixer is worth its weight in gold. An audio mixer installed between the source and record decks will allow you to add voice-over narration, music, sound effects, "nat" sounds and last-minute audio patches to your audio tracks.

As this buyer’s guide clearly shows, audio mixers come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, from tiny battery-powered models that fit into your pocket to full-fledged digital behemoths that cost thousands of dollars. What follows is a brief run-down of those models that will enhance your audio productions without draining your bank account.

Playing with the audio tracks on your videos is far from a chore; with the right equipment and preparation, it can be a lot of fun. In fact, many videomakers consider the final tweaking of the audio during editing to be one of the most creative aspects of the whole process. However you go about it, one thing’s for sure: whether you’re shooting on location or editing at home, an audio mixer is an important piece of gear in the serious videomaker’s arsenal.

Audio-Technica
1221 Commerce Dr.
Stow, OH 44224
(216) 686-2600

Azden
147 New Hyde Park Rd.
Franklin Square, NY 11010
(516) 328-7500

Carvin
1155 Industrial Ave.
Escondido, CA 92029
(619) 747-1710

Electro Voice
600 Cecil St.
Buchanan, MI 49107
(616) 695-6831

Fostex
15431 Blackburn Ave.
Norwalk, CA 90650
(310) 921-1112

Gemini Sound
1100 Milik St.
Carteret, NJ 07008
(908) 969-9000

J.L. Cooper
12500 Beatrice St.
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 306-4131

Mackie
16220 Wood-Red Rd.
Woodinville, WA 98072
(206) 487-4333

Nady
6701 Bay St.
Emeryville, CA 94608
(510) 652-2411

Peavey
711 A St.
Meridian, MS 39302-2898
(601) 483-5365

Professional Sound
24932 Kearny Ave. Unit 4
Valencia, CA 91355
(805) 295-9395

Pyramid
1501 60th St.
Brooklyn, NY 11219
(718) 436-1616

Radio Shack
One Tandy Center
Fort Worth, TX 76102
(817) 390-2775

Ramsa (Panasonic)
6550 Katella Ave.
Cypress, CA 90630
(714) 373-7200

Rane
10802 47th Ave. W.
Mukilteo, WA 98275
(206) 355-6000

Shure
222 Hartrey Ave.
Evanston, IL 60202
(708) 866-2200

Sima
6153 Mulford St.
Niles, IL 60714
(708) 966-0300

Studiomaster
3941 Miraloma Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92807
(714) 524-2227

Tascam (Teac)
7733 Telegraph Rd.
Montebello, CA 90640

Yamaha
6600 Orangethorpe Ave.
Buena Park, CA 90620
(714) 522-9105

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